Herr General, a furious assault from russian troops was stoppen in Finland, even if we lost Viipuri town during the battle. But,the price paid for that was high as almost all the units engaged were seriously injured (3 or 4 units with 1 fig at the end !).

JAParker vs Artimon (5 medals vs 7 medals). JAParker killed more figs than I did (29 versus 28), but I had benefited of better dices at crucial moments (lots of dices failed for JAParker on 1 fig units) letting me win after a very close game.

Pasting the report on Vercingetorix1302's 7-5 victory over Helcat, from the other thread.

Helcat wrote on Sat, 05 January 2013 09:54

Ai, first blow to the Allies. Your commissar had been drinking too much wodka, I presume; and got beaten by a Gaelic General.

I started a bit too opportunistic and at turn 5, I was 2-0 down and started to force my way through the centre. Not the best strategy in this scenario. Vercingetorix got up to 5-2. I needed to recuperate and rethink my strategy. I managed to take Viipurii but my assault for Vartsila got me in bigger trouble then I wanted. With a nice snipershot Vercingetorix took the game at 7-5.

Tips for the rest of the team. Don't overplay your hand and use subtle manouvering to win this scenario. Good Luck.

In one of the most tense, exhausting, tactical Memoir battles that I can recall fighting, the Russians had a 3-1 lead and had killed both of my snipers by the end of their fourth turn. They killed the garrison at Viipuri and marched into town on their next turn, and after their 7th turn, they led 6-5, with all but two of their medals coming on their left flank. During their first seven turns, the only Russian card that didn't order at least four units was a TFH (which ordered 3 units, and killed 2 ski troops and a sniper).

On their next four turns, the Russians rolled a total of 11 dice, achieving a total of 1 hit and 5 flags.

In the end, the Finns did a Banzai charge on their right, knocking out a Russian armored unit. It is a miracle that the Russians didn't win this one.

Thanks to Artimon for an enjoyable game--although it would have been more enjoyable if I had won!

Since one of the reasons that I play these tournaments is to improve as a player, I would appreciate having anyone who is willing to review the replay (link in Artimon's post) giving me tips on how I could have done better. Thanks!

Thanks to Artimon for an enjoyable game--although it would have been more enjoyable if I had won!

Since one of the reasons that I play these tournaments is to improve as a player, I would appreciate having anyone who is willing to review the replay (link in Artimon's post) giving me tips on how I could have done better. Thanks!

JAParker,

Difficult to say what, if anything, you might have done better. Replay only goes to turn 12 and then goes blank for some reason.

With the Finns ability to move 3 and battle makes for a tough task at best. On your 1st move, you move 3 units in the CENTER, 2 out in the open, 1 across the lake and possible damage. They are then attacked and hit twice and you spend the next move or 2 having to retreat them out of danger.

From there, you moved in force and had some good attacking options, just not the dice and of course attacking exposes the ALLIES in return.

On turn 9, you countered his 2-2-2, knowing you had INF ASSAULT next, might have been better served to move units to perhaps the CENTER and set up this move to position more units to attack and perhaps apply the pressure there, of course difficult to say what he might have done in response!

From there can only guess as to the back and forth action and from what Artimon wrote seems like you had some shots at some single figures and thus pull out the victory.

Well fought, just my thoughts and hope I fair just as well in my match with Jeronimon!

Gonzalan and I traded blows on the Vartsila flank, where we traded one infantry for another. In the mean time on the Viipuri flank Gonzalan positioned his troops nearer the forest and I BEL-led out and weakened an engineer unit to one figure, safely retreating afterwards. 1-1

Them we really got into it on that flank. I moved everybody forward and Gonzalan countered that and hit hard killing an infantry. I Attacked on that flank and destroyed on of the two armor units Gonzalan had dared park in my woods. My sniper shot a lonely infantry man that had seen two comrades die of enemy fire and one comrade had gone through the ice. A mercy killing for his morale was very low. 3-2 for me.

Gonzalan then started a push in the center but with casualties, his sniper and an engineer unit (3 for 3 woohoo!) died. 4-2 to me. The battle continued in the middle and at card 20 I retreated a one fig infantry to a point where he could only get at it by running up to it with a one fig special forces guy. He did and in the turn that followed I got that guy and sniped the sole engineer on the baseline (from the BEL, remember?)

The score now 6-3 and I hd move an extra infantry to the Viipuri flank where I had the best cards, and Gonzolan only One lonely engineer unit left.
He then BEL-led that one up to Viipuri but managed to kill only two of the three valiant defenders. I then shot three times into the woods where he had hid this infernal engineers and shot three of them leaving one alive for the next turn. He Barraged the lonely man in Viipuri (hitting him 4 times for his fourth and final medal. Three of my units then, staying at a safe distance but closing in on the lonely engineer, shot him dead and making the endscore 7-4.

Simo Hayha shot only four times today and missed half of his shots. Too much drink keeps him warm, but does not improve his aim.

In one of the most tense, exhausting, tactical Memoir battles that I can recall fighting, the Russians had a 3-1 lead and had killed both of my snipers by the end of their fourth turn. They killed the garrison at Viipuri and marched into town on their next turn, and after their 7th turn, they led 6-5, with all but two of their medals coming on their left flank. During their first seven turns, the only Russian card that didn't order at least four units was a TFH (which ordered 3 units, and killed 2 ski troops and a sniper).

On their next four turns, the Russians rolled a total of 11 dice, achieving a total of 1 hit and 5 flags.

In the end, the Finns did a Banzai charge on their right, knocking out a Russian armored unit. It is a miracle that the Russians didn't win this one.

One turn away from a 1d sniper shot on a 1 fig ski unit and a 3d tank attack on a cutoff 2 fig ski unit.

This scenario is very tricky for the Russians. They have very little room for error (I made a ice crossing gaffs forgetting to do a hex by hex move as opposed to letting the system move for me - luckily no ice losses in those cases).

And yet another victory for Axis, after playing tonight against Luc "lucky91". 22 turns in 28 minutes... and one card decided the match! I mean it: one card, one single card, decided the match. Don't believe? Watch turn 18:

This was by far the best use I have made of that card, so far. Very, very lucky me.

Viipuri is a great scenario by Eric, with a good number of options for both sides, but unfortunately it is very unbalanced: the allies have very, very little margin for error. But I always have a great time playing it, no matter which side.

Ai, Ai, Ai, we might get trapped in this scenario. for our remaining men on the battlefield: go,go,go.

The Russians win! The Russians win!

A stressful 7-5 win in which I was almost undone by a fatal "computer moving over the frozen rivers instead of countryside" mistake.

I started out my moving forward on my left trying to take Vilipuri. I managed to get two medals over there before being thwarted and eliminated the two-figure sniper in one move with some lucky shooting.

After a failed attempt to take Vartsila with a BEL, I was forced by my cards to change to the right flank. After suffering some losses, I was able to take Vartsila via a sustained attack (in spite of an Air Power eliminating my sniper). At this point, it was 6-4 and I managed to hold on for the win. The extremely thin ice made it interesting...

Ai, Ai, Ai, we might get trapped in this scenario. for our remaining men on the battlefield: go,go,go.

The Russians win! The Russians win!

Gheintze,

A gargantuan win for the ALLIES, 2 pts, finally someone Solviets the puzzle that is Viipuri and Finnishes what the rest of us started!

A much needed victory to help kick start us on our way to a furious comeback, if math serves, 4 days, 4 pts, with the battle of the J's today, JK2010 and JJ 'Nauts and V V and Dugrim Wednesday, would leave it at 5-4 AXIS and they can have their puny bonus and dig a hole in the ground in which to hide!

Well fought scenario gentlemen, well done to both and congrats to Geoff on his win.

@Looney,

Very nice opening to the tourney, only 9 more to go and can't hardly wait until the next one to try and wrap my brain around that one! Bravo...

I am sorry to report failure against those Russsian Bears. After being down 6-3 I thought I was going to make a come back similar to yours. On the 26th turn I was unable to eliminate a 2 figure inf. unit with 4 dice. The hated Soviets then eliminated my 2 figure inf. unit with 3 dice. If I would have eliminated his inf. unit the battle would have lasted at least another turn for me and with a center 2 card I would have been able to throw 6 dice at his 2 figure armor unit. It was that close, 1 die. I kept waiting for him to make a mistake but it never happened. Also, it seemed he never threw a flag against my inf. and they held position to get slaughtered. I think that was the best Allied attack that I've seen in this scenario. He even took Vartsila which I haven't seen happen.

By the way, the next scenario will be announced after we complete this round. Again, they will be in chronological order. Don't be discouraged by this one. There will be some that heavily favor the Allies, especially later in the war.

[...] Also, it seemed he never threw a flag against my inf. and they held position to get slaughtered.

I understand you so well! In my match against Luc, he threw no flags (zero!) at me in 40 dice! Before my ultra-lucky-close-assault-move, I was thinking "Some flag will eventually show up, right?..."

@Jeroen: shhhh! that was classified information...

Well, wish Jeronimon had missed completely with his attack when I had close assault set for his troops!! Could only target 3, but he played TFH before my CA, missed 4 of 5 dice, but rolled 1 STAR, activated 1 INF, hit 3 of 3 on my ENGINEERS!!! One of his units I had targeted was SIMO HAYHA, missed there and hit only 2 of 3 on his other and then he used M & M to full strength and then hit my unit 2 of 4. If I had gotten all 3, listening DICE GODS, might have faired better, still might have lost, but would have improved my chances!!

Today in the town of Viipuri the afternoon newspaper come out with its headline:

"The AXIS wins, the AXIS wins."

History has been reversed as the brave Finnish defenders pushed back the Russian invaders. As the brave men return home they are greeted with the ceremony of heroes. Wives rush to embrace husbands thought dead and children are proud to see celebration of their fathers' fight.

JJs Juggernaut reporting back the HQ; Attn Supreme Commander Sam1812.

Sir, after a hard fought battle we managed to pull put a 7-2 victory over the enemy. First the Russians advanced on their right, engaging our legendary sniper. He was wounded and pulled back, fighting the whole time. The Russians then made a head long charge across Vuoksi waterway via an infantry assault. Their losses crossing were minimal, put our ski infantry "moved out" for a counter strike and dealt some damage and pushed several enemy units back across the river. The battle raged on the right front for several days as the Russian slowly advanced and both sides suffered medium casualties. However, when the Russians reached the very outskirts of Vartsila the Finnish troops launched an all out attack that wiped out the remaining Russian attackers in short order.

The Russians then tried attacking along their center and left flank. They sent skirmishers into the woods, which were then followed by two armor assaults. One armor unit also made it into the outskirts of Viipuri, but the mine field caused great losses and the survivors were ambushed by a group of ski troops. The trees served to protect our troops and they were able to cause the Russian advance to grind to a halt. With the medal count now at 5-2, the Finnish made a risky assault. Leaving the protection of the trees, the ski troops surrounded an armor unit that was deep into Finnish territory on the Russian left; and also left cover to attack the sole surviving unit of the Russian's assault on the right flank. The risk paid off and the Russians were forced to give up their offensive.

Looks like you are a casualty along with the rest of us, V V , yet to play and we must wait until the next round to exact our revenge! 32-14 in figures if I saw correctly, not easy to win with those numbers. I had a similar fate against Jeronimon, something like 35-18 or so, 37% and some misses and flags

Ok, revision, at best 6-3 and one infantry or 7-2 at worst and any unit choice, both choices either in back row or last 2 rows, just where the AXIS should be!

Yes, Yikes indeed!! I thought it was the RUSSIANS that had the HAMMERing and SICKLE!?

Prevailing theme seemed to be, close but no VODKA for this round. We will save the CIGAR for the end when VICTORY is OURS!!!

Had some chances in some of the battles to get a victory or 2, things just didn't go our way and thus the WAR goes on.

Well done to TEAM AXIS this round and congrats to DUGRIM on his victory and tough loss for V V, 32-22 in figures, in only he had hit ALL 3 on every shot, then 7 kills easy!!! That also seemed a theme, flags and figures...one we didn't need plenty of and the other we did!!

On to the next round and SAC Helcat has an important choice to make and all 3 look like a challenge and the ALLIES must deal with our COMMISSAR once again, hopefully since he had a chance last round he will have learned and will make better choices this round!!

Hold your head high TEAM ALLIED so that we can see what we are AIMING for!

After a though battle, Finnish forces outnumbered Russian units, thanks to a better mobility and the forest's cover.

Supreme Commander, victory is ours!

Wow -- Congratulations, Dugrim! This is excellent news!

A 7-1 record is very hard to achieve. I am tremendously impressed with our entire side's play, and our entire side's results, in this battle. Extra sahti for everyone tonight! We have great cause for celebration!

At the same time, we must have great respect for our Russian foes, and be wary of them -- for we know that they are bold, smart fighters, and if they get the opportunity, they would gladly try to deal the same degree of devastation to us.

So onward to the next round, and we shall aim once again to score victory for the Axis forces!

Ok team, battle is lost, but the war will be won. We will fight them on the beaches, in the forests, in cities, towns and churches and on hills offcourse, in open terrain, on frozen lakes and in factories. And if that is not enough we will use a computer program to beat the Germans. Let's grab ourselves together and roll the dices where they are weakest. In the next scenario we will take them on on the BATTLE OF THE KERCH PENINSULA. My 2 point player will be General van Voort.

Ok team, battle is lost, but the war will be won. We will fight them on the beaches, in the forests, in cities, towns and churches and on hills offcourse, in open terrain, on frozen lakes and in factories. And if that is not enough we will use a computer program to beat the Germans. Let's grab ourselves together and roll the dices where they are weakest. In the next scenario we will take them on on the BATTLE OF THE KERCH PENINSULA. My 2 point player will be General van Voort.

Go Allies Go!

Well, SAC Helcat, as you instructed, fought everywhere I could think of, but to no avail, Battle 1, Round 2, to the AXIS, V1302, score 8-5, not the news you envisioned, but will elaborate later this evening, now up to the rest of the Allies.

Being that this scenario, Blitz rules in effect for AXIS and Airpower(AP)/Airstrike(AS), most appropriate that V1302 opened with a RECON Center on my ART and sandbagged units on my RIGHT, 2 INF and 1 ARMOR with minimal damage.

Unfortunately, being that this type of card(s) would be most helpful for the ALLIES, 2 shots at 4 possible units, was not to be and a RECON card only made 1 more appearance, on V1302's side, after turn 9, much to my chagrin.

After his opening volley, I probed with 2 units on the LEFT and used ART to fire at his ENGINEERS in the forest and missed.

After this tentative opening act, we got down to some serious movement, all CENTER based, 1-1-1 for him, 3 attack for me, ALL for him, ALL for me and after turn 6 and I had a 2-0, having killed the his INF unit in the CENTER hill, behind the wire/mine and then his ROSETTE ARMOR that had moved to the same hill, at this point, looking good, 2-0 and about 8-5 in figures, so V1302 was causing damage in return.

V1302, with his CENTER movement, had advanced a SF Unit and ARMOR into my midst and was well positioned to wreak havoc and with but 1 card available, a MOVE OUT, I was 1 move behind.

V1302 continued his CENTER push and also started pushing on my LEFT with ARMOR, thanks to his DFHQ, got his 1st kill on my LEFT and inflicted serious damage to other units, this being turn 9.

Tried to respond, not very well I might add and on turn 11 he continued pushing forward on my LEFF, this time pulling an AA out of his rather well stocked sleeves, apparently the AXIS planned ahead and able to fit plenty of cards up there!! Not the best of results for him, but pressure being applied on my LEFT.

By this time, as he was pressing on my LEFT and I had been drawing RIGHT cards, played an ALL card on my RIGHT in hopes of turning the tide. Missed a kill with my ART on his SF unit in the CENTER and combined attack on sandbagged INF hit 3-4, but no kills, could have been 4-1 and perhaps could have shifted things in my favor, but not to be.

V1302, again with the sleeve and cards, produced a 2-2 PM and got his 2nd kill, 2-2 at this point, turn 13, 1 kill and some more damage on both my RIGHT and LEFT. Got my 3rd kill following this, his SF unit in the CENTER on my baseline and again missed his SINGLE INF on my RIGHT, again, possible 4-2, but V1302 well positioned to cause damage in his turn and sure enough, he did, on the decisive turn of the game, turn 15!!

This time a 2-2-2 and ARMOR moved from my LEFT to CENTER and on my RIGHT, ARMOR and SINGLE INF and during the resulting display of firepower, 19 dice, end of turn, 4 kills!! and 6-3 for V1302!!! Nice coordinated attack and good results!!

Tried to fire back, 3 attack on my RIGHT, got 2 kills, 6-5, but with his hard advance on my LEFT and not having the cards to stall him, V1302 played a 1-1-1, EXITED 1 ARMOR and got the final kill on a 1 fig ARMOR on my RIGHT, final score 8-5, V1302 and AXIS.

Good, fun battle, close for most of the battle, but V1302 had a decisive 4 kill turn and most deserved based on positioning and cards. As stated earlier, ALLIES could have benefited from more RECONS/AP/AS, but only 2 showed up all game and both on his side!!!

SAC Helcat provided some good INTEL, after our game I believe and think I pretty much followed it, but without the CARDS to thwart him on my LEFT and then with limited success on my RIGHT once I pushed there, just not enough to fight off V1302.

In the end, he had an 76-37 dice advantage, though I hit about 50% overall, just too big a deficit to overcome, which resulted in his 31-19 figure advantage as well. He did most of his damage from having moved his ARMOR forward and used the OVERRUN to his advantage, thus the big difference in dice.

Deserving victory for the AXIS, but certainly a winnable scenario for the ALLIES, good luck to the rest of TEAM ALLIED on your coming battles.

Geoff exceeded himself this time and kick my butt so hard... Axis right cards failed me when I most needed them (and 13 dice were rolled against that damn armor, only to produce 1 casualty), Geoff had 3 Air Strikes throughout the game (that's 24 dice, gentleman, sometimes without retreat path!) and a final push with 2 Armor Assault cards. Brilliant hand management! By turn 24, I knew I was in trouble and it would be very hard to pull through.

Well deserved victory for the allies, in a very, very hard scenario for them. Congratulations, Geoff!
I'm sure the rest of the team will do better than I did.

Geoff exceeded himself this time and kick my butt so hard... Axis right cards failed me when I most needed them (and 13 dice were rolled against that damn armor, only to produce 1 casualty), Geoff had 3 Air Strikes throughout the game (that's 24 dice, gentleman, sometimes without retreat path!) and a final push with 2 Armor Assault cards. Brilliant hand management! By turn 24, I knew I was in trouble and it would be very hard to pull through.

Well deserved victory for the allies, in a very, very hard scenario for them. Congratulations, Geoff!
I'm sure the rest of the team will do better than I did.

Thanks for the props, Andre! At the end, I had very good cards that allowed me flexibility. It was getting there that was difficult, but I managed to hold off with timely retreats and some key shots. The air strikes were very helpful as well.

Always great to play my friend from across the Atlantic.

Good luck to the rest of the Russian team! Patience and timely advances are key...

Well done Geoff, once again victorious, 1-1 for this round, AXIS-8, ALLIES-3. Just as I suspected 24 extra dice comes in handy on this scenario, good use of the RECON cards and in your patience and advancing your ARMOR forward, good victory for the ALLIES.

BG Clorofila, valiant effort, your ARMOR let you down this game, much to our pleasure though!! Some serious dice rolling on both sides, 99-74, hit rates about the same, but that is were the extra 24 from the AIRSTRIKE made the difference in this battle, helped to weaken your units for Geoff's push at the end.

Well played game by both and congrats again to Geoff on his victory and upping his point total for 2 rounds to 3!!!

The Axis started with an Airstrike on my infantry on the ridge on the left, getting one figure from each (3 for 3!). They then continued to press the attack on that side; I was able to retreat one of the infantry to safety, but the other two were eventually lost. I moved a tank forward to fill the gap, and after taking damage that unit took out a full strength Axis tank on an Armor Assault, and took another Axis tank unit from 3 units to 2 on the Overrun on turn 10. This represented my first medal, and made the score 1-2.
In the meantime, I had not been entirely ignoring the right flank, and the same Armor Assault card allowed me to develop it further. Back on my left flank, Turn 11 saw my brave tank unit taken out to make the score 1-3. On Turn 12 I further developed the right flank with a Recon in Force (via Counterattack), taking out an infantry on that side--score now 2-3. Turn 14 was crucial, as I knocked out 2 more units (tank and infantry), and (temporarily) took the Axis HQ tent, as well, giving me a 5-3 lead. Turn 15 saw the Axis destroy the unit in their HQ; back to 4-4. After a Right Assault on turn 16, on turn 18 I used an Infantry Assault to retake the HQ while destroying another unit--6-4. On Turn 19 the Axis destroyed an engineer unit on my right, and flagged the Special Force unit that had taken the HQ out of it--back to 5-5. Turn 20 saw the Allies take out two Axis tanks--a one figure unit on my left that was threatening to exit, and a 3 figure unit on my right that was harassing my forces there--by means of a Move Out--up to 7-5. The Axis responded on Turn 21 by destroying one of my special forces, and moving another of their infantry into their HQ--7-6. Finally, a TFH allowed me to take out the Axis unit defending the HQ and claim the victory at 8-6.

In summary, this was tense game against a worthy opponent that could just as easily have gone the other way. Thanks to LooneyLlama for an enjoyable game!